Winter Sunshine
by Kadevi
Summary: *There's definitely not enough Circle fics...* A Midwinter ball causes Briar to tell the girl he likes his feelings for her. Sweet but predictable, almost. No details on who's who!! R+R
1. Coming Home

Here we go! I thought I'd try my luck at a Sandry/Briar. I just love this street rat/noble pairing! This entire story all this takes place after The Circle Opens series. Some things might not be completely correct, and I, of course, added stuff. Of course this is a romance fic, I'm a romance fic writer, aren't I? And everyone is 18. I have some excerpts from the current COM (circle of magic) & CO (circle opens) books. Remember, I still don't own any of Tamora Pierce's stuff, cause I don't write nearly as well as her (not even close to half)!!  
  
REMEMBER TO REVIEW AFTER YOU READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
~~~~~~  
  
"Talking outloud"  
'Thinking'  
*~*Flashback*~*  
~~Scene change~~  
(Author's Notes)  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing except for this pointless plot. All characters used in this fanfic belong to Tamora Pierce. All the places probably belong to her too. Oh, and all the stuff that goes in her books is hers too. Anything else that even remotely relates to the books are Tamora Pierce's. So there. Now you can't sue me.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Winter Sunshine  
by smileypal4eva  
  
Chapter 1: Coming Home  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Sandrilene fa Toren squealed in delight and ran to a different part of the cottage. "Lark! Rosethorn, Briar and his student Evvy are coming home!" she waved the letter back and forth ecstatically. Lark smiled calmly and stopped working at her loom. "That's wonderful, dear. When will they be coming back?" Sandry scanned her letter. "Where... I saw it a minute ago... there! Let's see, counting for the time the letter had to get here... I suppose they've got about a month until they arrive!" Sandry looked up at Lark, a big grin on her face.  
  
"Well, I'll be ready when they arrive. Now, you should hurry to Pasco's lesson. He'll be waiting for you, Sandry." Sandry gasped, remembering the forgotten dancing lesson. "I'll visit you in a few days, Lark! Gods bless!" and she hurried out the door. Lark smiled after her and continued working at her loom.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Briar turned over in his sleep. "Let me alone, Evvy!" he grumbled. "Well, boy, I'm not Evvy and it's past dawn, so you best get up before I make you!" a tart voice replied. Briar sighed and sat up. He sleepily looked up at Rosethorn's face. "That's the last time I ever stay up so late," he muttered, taking his clothes and closing the door.  
  
After he dressed, Briar packed up his belongings and went to Rosethorn and Evvy's room. Rosethorn was packing up their stuff. Evvy was still asleep. "You wake me up first, and you let Evvy sleep in?!" Briar accused his teacher. "Briar..." Rosethorn said warningly. Briar gave up and walked over to Evvy's bedroll. "Evvy, rise and shine!" he shouted into her ear. No response. After repeating the procedure several more times, Briar threw up his hands in exasperation. "She'll never wake up!" he declared.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
"But Sandry!"  
  
"No! You've got to learn control of your powers!"  
  
"I don't like meditating!"  
  
"Well, you still must learn to control your powers, so you have to meditate." Sandry snapped, feeling frustrated with Pasco. 'Mila, I wish I didn't have to go through with this every time Pasco has a lesson. I'm definitely sure that Tris, Daja, Briar, and I were never that impatient or skittish. Well, maybe sometimes. But not all the time like this!!'  
  
Pasco grudgingly sat down on the ground. Sandry made their protective circle and sat down next to him. Everything was quiet for a few minutes, and then Sandry heard Pasco twitching and moving around. She sighed.  
  
"Pasco."  
  
"Lady Sandry..." Pasco whined. "It's really uncomfortable!"  
  
"Pasco..." Sandry sighed in exasperation and gave up. She broke the circle and stood. "No matter. We'll do this another time." Sandry walked over to her bag and opened it to replace the spool of thread. She saw Briar's letter, full of chicken-scratch writing, and picked it up. Sandry could feel her good spirits coming back. "Alright Pasco. I'll see you at the castle instead of here tomorrow." Sandry reread Briar's familiar handwriting for the fourth time. It was comforting to know he'd be back, Sandry decided. She was lonely, always walking around her uncle's big castle by herself with nothing to do.  
  
'Well, I do visit Lark a lot,' Sandry thought, smiling, thinking of the former acrobat's kindness and patience. 'Something I, unfortunately, will never have with Pasco,' Sandry thought again. She sighed. "I'm sorry, Lady Sandry," Pasco Acalon muttered, head down. "No, you didn't do anything wrong," Sandry smiled falsely. "... You're not telling the truth!" Pasco accused the noble. "You didn't do anything wrong. That is the truth. You're just very... lively, I suppose. Lively enough to wear my patience down to parchment." Sandry corrected the boy.  
  
"Oh. Well, I'm still sorry for causing you misery. Until tomorrow, Lady," the boy said halfheartedly before leaving. Obviously his parents or his siblings had been lecturing him about behavior to a noble, or, precisely, behavior to a mage & and the great-niece of Duke Vedris IV of Emelan. "Goodbye, Pasco!" Sandry called cheerily. True, she wasn't exactly patient with Pasco, and he was irritating at times; but, then again, it probably wasn't all Pasco's fault. He was a dancer, and ought to have a lot of energy. Obviously, sitting still and breathing while clearing your mind was not exactly a very lively thing to do.  
  
'Still,' Sandry thought, but dismissed her misgivings. 'I should go help Uncle with preparations,' she thought, and left Yazmin Hebet's dance studio. Her guards, Oama and Kwaben, followed her like shadows. "I trust the boy has gotten to you again?" Oama asked the girl. "Yes, he has. I just don't have enough patience to be a teacher," Sandry sighed, mounting her horse.  
  
Kwaben and Oama both shook their heads, but did not say a word. Sandrilene fa Toren was very patient, as they had seen before. Pasco was just so energetic that he wore one's patience until it was as thinner than a strand of thread.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
"My dear, you have done wonderful work today. Thank you for helping us with the curtains and draperies."  
  
Duke Vedris smiled at his great-niece. She had helped straighten and neaten up the heavy velvet curtains in the ballroom, shake the dust off the draperies, and simply made things easier for his servants.   
  
"I like helping. Besides, I am looking forward to the Midwinter dance. Briar will get here in time for that. And Tris and Daja have already written that they'll be back too, from wherever they are," Sandry said cheerfully.  
  
The duke smiled gently. He knew why Sandry was so happy. She hadn't seen her friends for, what? four years! And they weren't just friends; the four were bonded specially, a magical bond, that allowed them to talk inside their minds. Vedris could tell Sandry missed that, and the fact that Pasco did nothing to ease Sandry's concern for her friends did not help.  
  
"Are you glad they are coming home? Briar, and the like?" Duke Vedris asked warmly. Sandry let a small smile tug at her lips. "Yes. Very glad. Happy. I feel truly wonderful, for the first time since ... since the three of them left," Sandry replaced lamely. The duke hugged Sandry tightly. Try as she might, the duke knew Sandry would never forget about the unmagic, and killing the poor mage involved. Although Sandry would never tell him that she thought about it, and quite often still, Duke Vedris knew his great-niece too well.  
  
"You know, I've been thinking about our gardens," Vedris began. Sandry looked at him. "We need a gardener who really knows what he's doing. Who cares about the plants, not just the money, involved. And it would be better if that head gardener had magic," the duke said. Sandry's eyebrows raised. "A head gardener, with magic, who cares deeply about the plants involved, and wouldn't mind a salary? I take it you're thinking about..." Sandry repeated. "Briar Moss." The duke nodded. Sandry smiled. "I'm sure he'd like that. I bet I can mind speak him in a few weeks, if I really reach."  
  
"And enough of this chattering! You should be in bed. I don't want you returning to your old habits!" Sandry scolded. Vedris just chuckled, but he obeyed, and gave her a kiss on the forehead before he left. Sandry was the only one who was frank with the ruler of Emelan. Actually, she was the only one who dared speak to him as she did. All the other servants were afraid, in a way, of Duke Vedris.  
  
Sandry walked to the balcony, shoving asked the draperies with her powers. 'Sometimes, being a thread-mage is incredibly useful... and sometimes, I feel as if anything I do is useless,' Sandry thought wryly, thinking back to the big earthquake, when she was ten. She had woven Tris, Briar, Daja, and her magic together, to make them stronger, so they could survive trapped underground. But only after thinking how afraid of the dark she was, and how all of her friends wanted to help, except her.  
  
The eighteen year-old noble girl sighed, folding her hands on the balcony railing. A sudden image of Briar flashed in her mind, then occupied her thoughts for a while. All Sandrilene fa Toren could think about was that Briar Moss was coming back home to Winding Circle. Sandry felt an uncomfortable heat spread into her cheeks. Walking back inside her room, she took out the flickering globe of light that Tris, Briar, and Daja had made for her, to help her control her fear of the dark, which came from being trapped in a dark cellar while Sandry knew that she would certainly die.  
  
"A treasure", Niklaren Goldeye had said he was looking for after he found her. "I found a new life, and a new magic," Niko continued. 'Yes, a real treasure,' Sandry thought, her closer-than-close friendship with Tris, Daja, and Briar came to mind. When they had given her the little crystal full of light, that was proof of their friendship.  
  
However, the light was starting to fade out of it. It was dimmer than when she had first gotten it. Sandry felt a grin tugging at her small lips. Sandry was not as afraid of the dark now, since her life was now more occupied by thoughts of suitors. 'Not that I like them much,' Sandry grimaced, thinking of all the desperate young men who tried in vain to win her heart over. None of them even came close.  
  
'You'd think they would learn to give up someday.' Sandry climbed into bed, looking at her pale honey-colored room. The privy was connected to a second room, a nice, forest-green color. Across the hall was a dark, yet cheery, crimson red color, which was connected to another room, full of several shades of blue. All the rooms had different colors in them. Sandry smiled wryly. 'The colors go with my friends. Green for Briar, crimson for Daja, blue for Tris.'  
  
Sandry let a small giggle out, and pulled the covers to her chin. She fell asleep, dreaming about bright flickering threads of magic flying in the night sky with the stars.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Briar sighed, ignoring the fact that he was almost bouncing to his horse's amble. His horse's unusually lively amble. He and Evvy, his student, and his teacher, Rosethorn, were going back to Emelan, from Yanjing, after four long years of being away.  
  
"I ride better than you do! It's easy to ride horses! And I've been at it shorter th'n you have!" Evumeimei Dingzai, Briar's student, kicked her horse into a quick trot in a circle ahead of them, turned a circle, and stopped. She clapped her hands, reins gripped tightly.  
  
"Of course, you must rub it sourly in my face," Briar mumbled incoherently. Evvy, a few years younger than her teacher, understood him well enough though. "But I like doing that! After all, you are my teacher, you're teaching me how to write and talk in Imperial, you're teaching me about stones-" Evvy sighed happily, thinking about her stone alphabet, bought by Briar and given to her.  
  
"-and, I must rub it in your face, because I'm a girl!" Evvy giggled, and rode up, next to Rosethorn, who shook her head. "I don't know who's more annoying, you or Briar," she muttered, but still trying not to smile. "Probably me. I talk too much. Like 'Lady Sandrilene fa Toren, the great-niece of his grace Duke Vedris IV of Emelan'. I've heard that expression so many times!" Evvy impishly giggled again, and looked at Briar slyly out of the corner of her eye.  
  
"She's the one with the beautiful brown hair with sun-streaks, right? And with the thread-magic?" she inquired. When Briar turned red and didn't answer, Rosethorn answered for him. "Yes. Tris is the weather-mage redhead, and Daja is the Trader with black hair," she said tiredly, speech slurred slightly. When she had nearly died, nine years ago, a part of her mind died, and Rosethorn had learned to speak again. It wasn't completely crisp, like before the bluepox plague, but her mind was still very sharp, and she was alive, so it didn't matter to Briar.  
  
The Earth Dedicate looked at Briar again. "Boy! You should hurry and catch up, or we'll leave you here by yourself!" she barked. Briar's head snapped up, and he tried to trot to the two women ahead. His horse bucked, leaving Briar clinging onto its neck for dear life. Evvy sighed, and slowed. "You'd think he's never sat on a horse before!" she said.  
  
Briar snorted. "Not for long," he retorted quietly to his student. In a louder voice, directed to Rosethorn, he said, "And my name is Briar! Not boy, Briar!"  
  
Rosethorn didn't even glance back. "If you don't hurry up, I will leave you behind, boy!" She replied tartly.  
  
  
  
  
~~~~~  
  
so, what'd ya think? good? bad? horrible? like I said, it's gonna be a Sandry/Briar, but these first few chapters will introduce all the people involved. So, I'll go now, and let you review my story (or what I call a story; what other people might call some incoherent jumble of words)! 


	2. Missing You

This chapter introduces more characters, and Briar finally arrives! Remember, Daja, Tris, Briar, and Sandry are all 16 years old!  
  
REMEMBER TO REVIEW AFTER YOU READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Talking outloud"  
¡¥Thinking¡¦  
*~*Flashback*~*  
~~Scene change~~  
(Author¡¦s Notes)  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing except for this pointless plot. All characters used in this fanfic belong to Tamora Pierce. All the places probably belong to her too. Oh, and all the stuff that goes in her books is hers too. Anything else that even remotely relates to the books are Tamora Pierce¡¦s. So there. Now you can¡¦t sue me.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Winter Sunshine  
by smileypal4eva  
  
Chapter 2: Missing You  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
~one week before the Midwinter ball...~  
  
  
"No, Pasco! Tell me you didn¡¥t do what you just claimed you did!"  
  
"But Lady Sandry! I didn¡¦t do anything!"  
  
"You - you didn¡¦t DO anything?! I told you, when you go home, to control your emotions, and do not, ever use your magic unsupervised by me!"  
  
"But, I honestly! It wasn¡¦t that much magic!"  
  
"Pasco! A little magic is the same as magic! Do not use ANY magic unsupervised, I said! ANY MAGIC!!"  
  
"Lady Sandry!"  
  
"Pasco!" Sandry, in dread and exasperation, flung open the heavy draperies of her room. All of them smacked aside, and ropes tied neatly around them, letting the dim winter sunshine glow into the room. Sandry, dressed in a simple, full-length blue dress, turned around to face Pasco.  
  
"But Lady, I didn¡¦t mean it! He just made me so mad, so I-"  
  
"So you shouldn¡¦t have done that! Shouldn¡¦t have done that new dance Lady Yazmin taught you and stomped so hard at the last step!" Sandry interrupted him desperately. She wanted to shake the still-yawning boy. It was barely seven in the morning.  
  
"Lady, I didn¡¦t mean to get Vani stuck fast and hard to the floor!"  
  
"I don¡¦t care if you didn¡¦t mean it! I care, you silly bleater, if your magic is used on someone less fortunate! This is the third time this month!" Sandry sighed and sat down on her chair. She motioned Pasco to sit on the chair next to her. "Here. I¡¦ll calm down a bit, and then you must tell me again what provoked you to prevent your cousin Vanido from moving at all."  
  
Pasco gulped down the tea given to him by the servant. He was more comfortable now, in the duke¡¦s citadel, than he had been two years ago, but he was still very much more stiff to everyone. ¡¥I can¡¦t believe he actually did this...¡¦ Sandry sighed, thinking back to earlier that morning, when a servant had rushed into Sandry¡¦s room to wake her, because Pasco had arrived many hours too early for his meditation and magic lessons.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
flashback to earlier in the morning... around half after four  
  
Knock, knock.  
  
Two timid knocks on Sandry¡¦s door woke her out of sleep. She hurriedly dressed into her dress. It flowed to the ground, and did not have much to fiddle with. Tightening her bodice with her magic, she laced it up, then used her magic again to tie the laces of the dress while she put on her kid slippers. Grabbing a warm cloak to fare against the cold, she wrapped it around her shoulders.  
  
"Pasco. Good morning." Sandry said crisply, walking out of her room. Pasco¡¦s face was ashy white. "I - well, you see, my sister woke me up this morning, ¡¥cause mother insisted we have an early practice. Well, then Vani, he was up already, and when mother went on a break, he, well - . Um, Vani, he came and wanted to beat me up again. He¡¦s gotten taller, and he was about to thump me over the head, but I ran out of the way, then danced the step the little monster taught me, and since I was mad because he¡¦d tried to beat me up again, even after Gran-father told him not to, so I stomped that last step and now he can¡¦t even move off the ground."  
  
Pasco was shaking. Sandry tried to smile. "Well, at least you knew you had to come to me again." Sandry told a servant to get Oama and Kwaben ready with an extra horse for Pasco. "Really, Pasco. Can¡¦t you try to not get so excited?" Sandry pleaded. "I¡¦m trying, my lady. Really. It¡¦s just, sometimes, I get too excited to control my emotions," Pasco gulped.  
  
Oama, Kwaben, Sandry, and Pasco rode to the Acalon¡¦s home. Everyone was gathered around Vani, who was cursing rather loudly. Sandry¡¦s lips tightened. "Be silent!" she ordered. He couldn¡¦t speak. "Pasco, did you meditate on the way?" Sandry asked. Pasco nodded. "What do you think you can do to undo this?" Sandry nodded to his cousin.  
  
Pasco thought for a moment. "First you ward us. Then, I do the dance again, except when I¡¦m supposed to step down, I step... up onto something? A bench, or a small stool, maybe?" Pasco asked, uncertainly. Sandry nodded. "You should try that. Here, I¡¦ll ward you." Sandry sent her thread in a circle, and Pasco¡¦s relatives moved away. She put the ward up. "Okay, Pasco."  
  
Pasco did a complicated step, and right when Sandry thought his knees would bump into the bench, Pasco jumped onto the bench, sending Vani up into the air and falling again. Sandry undid her silence spell. "This is the third time this month!" Vani snarled, pointing an accusing finger at Pasco. "I-I want him arrested! Locked away!" Vani¡¦s face was red with fury.  
  
"I - I didn¡¦t mean anything by it! I just got mad again!" Pasco almost fell off the bench in his hurry to get off. "Now listen, young man! If I hear one more time about you trying to beat up Pasco..." Pasco¡¦s grandfather pinched Vanido¡¦s ear and led him inside. Zahra Qais curtsied politely. "I¡¦m sorry for causing you any trouble, Lady Sandrilene." Sandry just nodded, then twitched her finger at Pasco. His clothes pulled him toward her and after her as she walked out. "You and I must have a little talk..." she said sternly, mounting her horse.  
  
flashback ends  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Pasco finished his story just as Sandry finished thinking about that morning. "And that¡¦s it! I got scared again, and a little mad, so I danced." It took all of Sandry¡¦s strength not to put her head in her hands. She just let out a little sigh, oblivious to Pasco, who was busy trying not to look at his teacher¡¦s face to see if she was mad. "Don¡¦t worry, Pasco. I¡¦m not too mad. Just frustrated." Sandry frowned, then let out a small smile. "Well, since you¡¦re here anyway, let¡¦s have some breakfast with Uncle, shall we? I believe he¡¦s up already. Then we¡¥ll go to Discipline. I need to talk to Lark about y- about something."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Rosethorn, Evvy, and Briar arrived at the cottage gate. Rosethorn volunteered to take the horses back to the stable and left. Briar just stared at the cottage in the distance. He could almost hear Little Bear yipping and yapping his way to greet him. Briar grimaced; sometimes, if one was not careful, you would get bowled over by the dog.  
  
Evvy tugged on sixteen-year-old Briar¡¦s hand. "You know, I want to see the inside of Discipline." Briar opened the gate and led Evvy inside. Evvy just looked around in awe. "It looks so cozy!" Briar dropped their bags on the floor and put his shakkan on the dinner table. "Let¡¦s find Lark. I¡¦m sure she¡¦s around here somewhere. Probably in her workshop." "Lark weaves, am I right? She¡¦s the -" Evvy scrunched up her face in a frown. "-former acrobat? Short, curly black hair? Earth dedicate." Evvy finally replied as they neared Lark¡¦s workshop. "Yes, she¡¦s the one." Briar was about to knock, but found the door open. "Lark?"  
  
"Pasco, you have to learn to clear your mind! You can fit your power into something small, I grant you that, but Sandry tells me you haven¡¦t been able to completely clear you mind. Your magic just spills everywhere." Lark was kindly scolding someone seated on the floor. "Hello, Lark." Briar said quietly. Lark, startled, looked up. Her frown was replaced with a wide smile. "Briar! Look how much you¡¦ve grown since we last saw you!" She gave him a big hug and kissed his cheek. "You¡¦ve gotten taller." She also hugged Evvy. "I take it, this young lady is your student Evumeimei?" Evvy blushed. "It¡¦s just Evvy." Lark laughed. "Well, you haven¡¦t met Pasco Acalon. He¡¦s Sandry¡¦s student. Perhaps when you¡¦re settled in, you could help her get Pasco to meditate more, control his magic."  
  
Briar nodded absentmindedly. "Where should we put all of our stuff?" he asked. "Didn¡¦t Rosie tell you? No, I suppose she didn¡¦t. You¡¦re to live with Sandry at Duke¡¦s Citadel. His grace Duke Vedris wants you to be his head gardener." Briar blinked. "Truly?" he asked eagerly. "Yes. You should find Sandry. She wanted to have some time to herself. She¡¦s probably weaving. Try the roof." Lark turned to Evvy. "Do you want to follow Briar, or stay with Pasco and me? We¡¦re practicing meditating." Evvy¡¦s eyes lit up. "I can do that!" Lark included Evvy in the ward, then started instructing the children again.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Briar climbed quietly up the ladder that led to the cottage¡¦s roof. It was a calm day, with a slight breeze and a glowing sun. He looked around. Sandry was seated facing away from him, singing. He slowly climbed back down, and settled down to listen to her voice, which drifted in the wind, carrying the melody of her song.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sandry was singing a song her nurse, Pirisi, had sung to her, every night, when she was little. Singing made her calmer, more relaxed than she had been in a while. All the while, she was sewing a complicated patter for health in a cloth, for her uncle. When she finished, Sandry sighed quietly. She missed all her friends. Deeply.  
  
¡¥I was the only one left here. I wish Briar were here. He¡¦d be able to cheer me up.¡¦ Sighing again, she lay on her back, unaware that Briar was at the bottom of the ladder, listening to her. "I wish- I wish Briar were here, with me." she said outloud. "I wonder how much he¡¦s changed since I last saw him." Sandry giggled and smiled. "I wonder how much I¡¦ve changed."  
  
Sandry stared up at the sky for awhile, thinking about all her friends... thoughts flitted through her mind, as the breeze blew through her hair, loosening a few brown strands. "I miss him so much..." Sandry almost whispered sadly.  
  
Sandry! The voice charged through her mind. Sandry sat up. ¡¥Someone mind-spoke to me?¡¦ "Briar?" she called, and scrabbled down the ladder. She turned around, and almost bumped into Briar. Sandry gasped in surprise, and just as she was about to jump and hug him, her mind restrained her. She looked at Briar more closely. He was taller, more handsome...  
  
"Hey Sandry. It¡¦s been a while hasn¡¦t it?" Briar said, breaking the silence. "It¡¦s you! I¡¦ve missed you so much!" Sandry cried, jumping onto him and hugging him tightly. "Wha- yo- you don¡¦t have to be so excited, you know!" He said, staggering backwards, causing them to fall in an undignified heap on the floor. "Ow! Briar!" Sandry complained. She started to get up, then realized that Briar was staring at her. Involuntarily, her cheeks heated up. "Come on, Briar. We should head back to Uncle¡¦s." Helping him up, she walked him downstairs and outside, into the crisp winter air.  
  
Through a window, the two watched as Lark taught two kids how to pull themselves in, tightly. Evvy had no trouble with it. Her magic was inside her skin. But Pasco, wasn¡¦t doing as well...  
  
Sandry sighed quietly, smiling at Pasco. "That¡¦s your student, right?" Sandry asked Briar. He nodded, and grinned wryly. "Your student isn¡¦t doing as well as mine!" Briar whispered into her ear. Shocked and about to hit him, she turned, to find him running away. "Briar!" she shouted after him. He stopped, turning around and laughing. "Come on! You said we had to leave soon, didn¡¦t you?" He called to her. Sandry walked quickly after him to the stables. "After we get our horses, we have to get Evvy and Pasco too. Pasco should be heading to his dance teacher¡¦s, and Evvy can have a room in the citadel."  
  
They got their horses, meeting up with Rosethorn on the way, who was arguing with Crane about one of his plants. Sandry and Briar grinned wryly. It was old news that those two were rivals, and were always arguing and shouting at each other. Riding back to Discipline, two extra horse¡¦s in tow, they talked about their lives.  
  
"Uncle had a heart attack. I was so afraid for him, and when the servants wouldn¡¦t let me into his room, I cocooned them in thread and cloth." Sandry admitted. Briar laughed. "That¡¦s our Sandry! How long did it take to get them out?" Sandry laughed along with him. "I think an hour."  
  
Briar told her about the gangs in Chammur. "It was like I was watching my own life, over again. Except Lady Zenadia doa Attaneh, the gang¡¦s money supply and ¡¦leader¡¦-," he continued, saying her name with scorn and bitterness, "-was killing and murdering people, members of the Watch, members of the gang. Even children." Sandry was reminded of when she had to kill the Dihanurs. Her eyes filled with sadness. Briar was still talking. "I always thought Tris was a baby, carrying on about the drowned slaves in her dreams." He gulped. "Now I have dreams too."  
  
Sandry told him briefly about her encounter with the Dihanurs. "The unmagic was eating them inside. I could see it. In the end I had to kill them, or - or they would have killed my student. As a teacher, I couldn¡¦t let that happen. I was just fourteen. Fourteen!" She shook her head sadly. "They never tell you that there are secrets to being a mage that you never want to learn. All they tell you is, that mages have wonderful power. They learn all kinds of wonderful secrets." Sandry¡¦s voice cracked. "It was terrible."  
  
The two arrived at Discipline. "Lark! Send our students down here!" Briar packed the bags and his shakkan onto his horse. Pasco and Evvy walked down, deep in conversation. "It looks like our students are getting along quite well," Sandry said, a ghost of a smile on her lips. Briar didn¡¦t bother to answer; Pasco and Evvy mounted their horses, and Oama and Kwaben joined them as they headed for Duke¡¦s Citadel.  
  
~That¡¦s what I thought when after I killed the mute,~ Briar thought-spoke to Sandry. ~They only tell you that mages have great and wonderful power, and that they learn all these great secrets.~ Briar admitted. ~Sometimes I wish I¡¦d stayed a street rat.~ Sandry had to smile at that bit. ~But then you would never have met me,~ she teased. Briar felt his face heat up slightly. ¡¥You¡¦re definitely right about that,¡¦ Briar thought. ¡¥If I¡¦d stayed a street rat, I¡¦d never have met you.¡¦  
  
  
  
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Sigh. that wasn¡¦t a very good chapter. well, review and tell me what you think.  
  
smileypal4eva 


	3. What Do You Think?

This chapter has a time span of about a week (?). From the night Briar arrived to the beginning of the Midwinter ball.  
  
REMEMBER TO REVIEW AFTER YOU READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Talking outloud"  
'Thinking'  
*~*Flashback*~*  
~~Scene change~~  
(Author's Notes)  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing except for this pointless plot. All characters used in this fanfic belong to Tamora Pierce. All the places probably belong to her too. Oh, and all the stuff that goes in her books is hers too. Anything else that even remotely relates to the books is Tamora Pierce's. So there. Now you can't sue me.  
  
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Winter Sunshine  
By smileypal4eva  
  
Chapter 2: What Do You Think?  
  
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the night Briar arrived, still a week before Midwinter ball...  
  
  
Briar and Sandry were still catching up after dinner. Both were sipping tea, in her bedroom, lounging on comfortable chairs. They weren't alone. Lark, Rosethorn, Pasco, and Evvy were all there. And Duke Vedris had said he was coming later.  
  
Rosethorn was speaking now. "I was going to go to Yanjing, to Evvy's home province, and drop her off there, but she had nowhere to live." Rosethorn shook her head. "I couldn't just let Evvy live like a street rat again. So I took her with us." She smiled wryly. "I wanted her to see what Winding Circle was like." When Briar started to choke, she turned and glared at him. "That was the ONLY reason!" She stated gruffly. Briar and Evvy both coughed, and gave each other knowing looks. Rosethorn glared more daggers at them.  
  
Next, Lark told Rosethorn, Briar, and Evvy more about Sandry's experience with the unmagic. "Hard as it was, the council knew there was no other way to capture the Dihanurs and their mage. So we devised two plans: the net, and the web. However, everyone was skeptical that the web would work. All of us were sure that the unmagic net would work, and we would meet the Dihanurs on our terms." Sandry wiped away an involuntary tear. "I suppose they deserved what was coming. The Rokats, I mean. And the Dihanurs; it was right to do what I did. The Dihanurs had taken children. And although the Rokats hadn't done any killing in Emelan, they had taken so many other lives in other countries, so..." Sandry just shook her head, upset. She tried to smile.  
  
"Pasco did a good job on the net. He has good body memory, as Yazmin says. That is the truth, even though Pasco almost got himself killed. But I should've known he would try to stay and watch." Sandry smiled; a real smile, one of the first that night. "And it would've worked, except you had to eat that cake." Sandry slapped Pasco playfully on the arm. "I was hungry!" Pasco whined. "Quit your whining." Rosethorn snapped. Pasco's mouth shut in his fright of the Earth dedicate. He had learned quickly to mind Dedicate Rosethorn, because she had a quick temper and a sharp tongue. He shuddered slightly.  
  
"Evvy's already learned all of her alphabet, using that stone kit I got her." Briar finally commented. "Now, she can read very well. Almost better'n me. But not just yet. She loves reading just as much as Tris did. The only difference is that she doesn't snap at people when she's interrupted." Briar grinned; Sandry hid hers behind her handkerchief. "He's a good teacher. That's the only reason I'm learning so quickly." Evvy said. Sandry giggled at the thought of Briar being called 'teacher'; Lark just smiled warmly at him.  
  
~Don't you go laughing at me because I'm a teacher!~ Briar thought-spoke to Sandry, who was laughing at him in her mind. ~But I must! It is fairly funny.~ Sandry said playfully. She became serious again. ~I'm sure you're a great teacher, no matter how funny it seems. Evvy has been taught the basics of magic well, and she has you to thank for it, and many things more.~ Sandry told him warmly.   
  
Briar, listening to the conversation between Duke Vedris, who had just arrived, and Lark and Rosethorn, turned a little red. ~Nah. Not just me. She learns quickly, and isn't like your Pasco, who fidgets more than I ever did.~ He said, a little pleased at the compliment. Sandry gave him a soft, knowing smile before returning to the real world and joining the conversation.  
  
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"-And this is your room here." Sandry opened the door next to the door to her room. Inside was an expanse of green. Nice and comfortable tones of green. Briar looked around. Inside was a comfortable-looking bed, some chairs near the balcony. There was a door, where all his clothes would hang in the closet, and a tall mirror. There were also several pots on the balcony, meaning that in the spring and summer, there would be plants to take care of. There was a painting above the bed, a full-length portrait of a very attractive girl, in a fairly expensive and complementing blue dress. The girl had a dazzling, yet soft, smile.  
  
"I like the choice in color," Briar told her in approval. "Uncle hired someone to repaint some of the rooms, to make them look more cheery. Since he insisted that after you, Daja, and Tris come live at the Duke's Citadel after your trips, I told the painter to paint them green, a crimson red-orange like color, and blue." Sandry nodded at another door, inside the large, green-colored room. "That's the door to the privy and bath. We have to share one, so you better not come in when I'm in there."  
  
Briar nodded absentmindedly; he was still looking at the painting. "Who's that?" The plant-mage asked. Sandry looked at the painting and blushed. "That's me, at one of the social functions earlier this spring." Briar's eyebrows went up. "That's you?!" Sandry nodded again, still red. "Uncle insisted that they have a painting of me in the citadel, after I started living here permanently. At first, he insisted on putting that painting in my room. But, since there was already a portrait of my parents and me hanging in there, we decided to put it here." Sandry's eyes softened at the mention of her own parents.  
  
Briar glanced sidelong at her. She was still looking at the painting of herself. There was a look in Sandry's eyes. Was it - embarrassment? - Or longing, in her eyes? And if it was the latter, was it longing for her parents or for a special someone? Briar pushed aside the disturbing thoughts.  
  
"You look good up there, though. And the dress looks really expensive." Briar commented. The pink tint returned to Sandry's cheeks. Briar raised an eyebrow, amused. "Well, Uncle insisted again. I wanted to wear one of my more regular dresses. However, since it was the first time I'd appeared to the public in formal attire, Uncle wanted me to look extra-nice. Personally, I think the dress is nice, but it shows too much."   
  
After that last comment, Sandry turned red again. "I should get to sleep. You too. I'll see you - tomorrow." Sandry said quietly, not quite meeting Briar's eyes. She opened the door that joined their rooms together, and looked back. Briar was starting to unpack. She quickly walked through and closed the door.  
  
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After Sandry left, Briar backed up and looked at the painting of her again. 'She looks so much more mature...' he thought. Briar looked at the painting and wondered why he didn't recognize Sandry before. 'Probably cause you've never seen her in a dress like that!' he heard a part of his mind argue. And it was true.  
  
The dress sleeves were tight on Sandry's upper arms, then were loose from that point down (like flares, if you will, but not too much, only a little. Barely noticeable). The neckline was rather low, exposing some of her chest, and left quite an amount of shoulders and neck bare. The neutral (not bright, in this case) sky-blue colored bodice was laced tightly with honey-white laces, revealing a thin waist. The rest of the dress, waist down, was just a tone darker, to make her cornflower blue eyes stand out. White and yellow embroidery decorated the entire dress beautifully, and there was a small amount of jewels as well.  
  
Briar gulped.  
  
He had never seen Sandry in a dress like that. Well, honestly, he hadn't seen Sandry for two years (assuming that everyone left when they were fourteen) and now that she was sixteen, she'd grown a little taller, and curved in places she should be, more mature, graceful, and the like. Generally saying, she was more beautiful.  
  
Hastily Briar clapped his hands over his ears, shut his eyes, and tried to think of something else, gasping all the while. 'Something has gotten into me! This is Sandry, one of my best friends! I'm not supposed to be thinking about her like-like this!!!!' Shaking, Briar unpacked everything and put stuff neatly where it belonged, pinching himself when he started thinking about Sandry like that again.  
  
Someone knocked on the door. When Briar opened it, Duke Vedris stood, smiling warmly. Briar tried to smile and failed. "Come in, your grace." Duke Vedris nodded silently, and Briar led him to the couch. "Please, have a seat," Briar said. "Thank you, Briar." A servant came in and put two cups of tea down, then left.  
  
"What brings your Grace here?" Briar asked, trying to sound normal, at least. Duke Vedris smiled warmly again. "I had some matters to settle with you." Briar watched Duke Vedris from the corner of his eye. The duke's tunic glowed with magic; 'Sandry's work,' Briar mused, pretending to look nonchalant. The duke began talking again. "My gardeners care for the plants well enough. But I was hoping to find someone better, who cares about the plants, and who might also have plant magic," the duke explained slowly.  
  
"A gardener with plant magic?" Briar prodded.  
  
"Yes. Specifically, I'd hoped that person would be you, because your magic with plants gives you the uncanny ability of knowing what plants need most, and from the looks of your shakkan on the balcony there, the plants you care for are likely to flourish greatly..."  
  
Briar froze. 'I could be a real gardener! And Duke Vedris himself thinks the plants I take care of flourish!' he thought as Sandry's great-uncle continued talking.  
  
"Your status as my head gardener would be almost as good as a noble. You most likely won't have any land, since you'll be living here, but I'm hoping that won't bother you." Duke Vedris looked at Briar, who was listening in earnest. "I trust this job interests you?"  
  
Briar nodded. "It would mean a great deal to me if you accept me as your head gardener." Briar said carefully, listening to his own words register. 'Almost as good as a noble! A real gardener!' he thought ecstatically.  
  
Duke Vedris smiled. "Then I thank you, for accepting the position. I'll pay you money of course, at the end of every month. You may stay in this room if you like, and Sandry will take you on a tour of the gardens tomorrow. You may start working at the finish of the Midwinter ball, which is the beginning of a new month. I must inform Sandry of your good news. Until I see you again, Briar Moss." And Duke Vedris left, leaving Briar gaping after him.  
  
'Head gardener!' Briar's mind screamed at himself.  
  
A few minutes later, Sandry bounded into Briar's room and hugged him fiercely. Briar almost choked. "Sandry! Haven't you had enough hugs for one day?!" Briar said, face beet-red. "Oh! I'm sorry. But isn't it great news? You're Uncle's new gardener!" Sandry let go and sat across from him, cheeks pink from the crisp night air.  
  
"Yeah, it is good news..." Briar said, smiling widely. The two talked for a little while longer, and then Sandry left, after giving Briar a reminder. "Since you have to go to the Midwinter ball, you might as well have some good clothes. I have some made especially for you, and you'll have to have fittings tomorrow with me!" Sandry clapped her hands together, smiled, and left.  
  
As soon as Briar had crawled under the covers of his bed, his thoughts wandered, from his shakkan, to being head-gardener, to Daja, then Tris, then grouchy ol' Rosethorn, then contrary Evvy, then Lark, Niko, Dedicate Crane, and then Sandry...  
  
'Why can't I stop thinking about her?!' Briar sat straight up in bed, remembering when Sandry had hugged Briar and congratulated him on his good news earlier. He could still feel her body pressed tightly against his...  
  
'Aah! Get a hold of yourself, Briar!' he shouted at himself, letting his head fall back on the pillow. 'Stop thinking about that kind of stuff about Sandry! It's JUST SANDRY!!'  
  
When he'd calmed down a little more, Briar started thinking again. 'But she isn't just Sandry anymore, is she?' he asked himself. Sandry was now a teacher, herself, and a noble. Not just any noble, the great-niece of the Duke of Emelan himself! 'And, I bet every man at court has his eye set on Sandry,' Briar thought glumly.  
  
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*The darkness seeped through her clothes, searching for an opening to creep into her body. Its slimy surface crawled along, to her mouth, to her nose, then through her ears. As she watched, it leaked down through the tent in which she worked the unmagic net, to the Mire. The unmagic would leave people to give up and die.  
  
Perilously close to the circle of thread with four equally spaced lumps in it, the unmagic suddenly sprang through and into the circle, dampening the magic. From there, it leapt into the bodies of her three friends. Sandry watched in horror as the darkness spread, dampening their power, a waiting death...*  
  
  
Sandry screamed and shot up. She fumbled for her night-light, the crystal ball. The undying and steady light threw shadows to the outskirts of the light, leaving Sandry gasping for air, in the safety of her own bed.  
  
Sandrilene fa Toren started to sob. 'Why do these dreams keep coming back...' She couldn't stop the tears. All she could think about was the darkness, a patient death, waiting for the exact moment to pounce and engulf her...  
  
A door opened, and light flickered from the opening. Sandry blinked her eyes, which were wet with tears. Briar appeared through the darkness, walking towards her. His eyes calmed her unnerved self. "Are you all right? I heard you scream," he said softly, sitting down next to her on the bed. Sandry tried to wipe away her tears and straighten up. "It's - nothing, really." Sandry tried to say. But fresh tears rolled down her cheeks, giving her away.  
  
Briar's dark eyes looked into her bright blue ones, now glazed over in fear. "You're not okay if you're crying, Sandry," he retorted gently. Sandry looked away, down at the steady light in her hands. "It was the unmagic. It came, to drown me in darkness, then went into you and Daja and Tris, to destroy you from within." Sandry whispered, shuddering at the very thought.  
  
Briar reached over and hugged her shoulders. 'It's so comforting, to know he's here for me,' Sandry thought, burying her face in Briar's shirt. Before she knew it, fresh tears had sprung out of her eyes, and she started crying again. Briar began to pull away, and ask what she was crying about now, but Sandry held on tight around his neck, shaking her head. She didn't need comforting with words, just a shoulder to cry on.  
  
As the night drew darker, her sobs slowed, and the tears dried. Sandry finally released Briar. "I - I'm sorry. Now I've made her shirt all wet," Sandry murmured, quietly so. "No, it's okay. You probably haven't had a good cry like that for a while," Briar said simply. Sandry sniffed and nodded. "It's just, you - well, I feel, like - " Sandry heard herself stuttering and cringed inwardly.  
  
'You sound like an absolute fool!' Sandry scolded herself, shutting her mouth. When Sandry sighed, her eyes lowered to the unflickering night-light, Briar wrapped his arms around her comfortingly. "Don't worry. The unmagic will have to go through me and Daj' and Coppercurls to get you." Sandry settled her head at the crook of Briar's neck and inhaled, feeling relaxed by the scent of plants and fresh air.  
  
Consciously aware that one of Briar's arms was curled around the front of her waist and the other around her shoulders, Sandry flushed. 'I shouldn't even be thinking about this kind of stuff about Briar. He's my friend. One of my best friends.' However, before long, exhaustion crept up to her. "Thank you," Sandry whispered before falling asleep, snug in Briar's arms.  
  
When Sandry was sleeping well, her breathing regular and normal, Briar lay her gently on the bed. He watched her chest rise and fall with each breath, and at her face, so innocent and serene. 'Not so innocent when you get to know her,' Briar thought ruefully, brushing away a strand of hair. "Good night," he said quietly. As an afterthought of his conflicting emotions and feelings, Briar bent down and ghosted his lips onto Sandry's, kissing her softly. Then he went silently back to his room.   
  
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Trisana Chandler glowered at her teacher. He had insisted that they leave early. 'It's too early to ride horses.' Tris carefully balanced herself on her pony and took off her spectacles to clean them. She then put them back on and sighed. 'No matter how much I clean my glasses, this is not a dream. This is real, and we're riding, in this sopping wetness of rain.'  
  
She didn't complain out loud, of course. Niko wouldn't really care much about her complaints. He was just that way.  
  
Tris was a bit taller now, and her curly hair had straightened out a bit. She had also grown more mature, with more respect toward Nature. She had also slimmed up a bit.  
  
'I suppose the best news I'm going to get is that I'll get to see Sandry soon. Briar & Daja too. I guess the rainy trip was worth it.' Tris watched the gray rain clouds from under her water-resistant hood and cloak. They were dark, gray, forbidding. She searched the gray clouds above, to see how far the storm went. To her delight, Tris found that the storm clouds would pass by in a couple more hours. 'At least I won't have to keep riding in this mess,' Tris thought.  
  
"We're not heading to Winding Circle, Tris." Niko called at a fork in the path (one led to the temple community, a center of learning and magic; the other path led to the city).  
  
"Then where are we going?" Tris stopped beside her teacher, who suddenly started moving down the path again, to the city.  
  
"We're headed for Duke's Citadel. Duke Vedris insisted that you, Daja, and Briar come live with Sandry at there." Tris trotted her horse to keep up. "The Duke's Citadel? But I'm a merchant girl, not some noble!" She insisted. Niko slowed his horse and looked back at his student. "Duke Vedris is inviting you to live there with Sandry, if for no other reason than the fact that some other mages are already living at Discipline. Unless, of course, you wish to live in the dormitories at Winding Circle again?" Niko raised a brow. Tris just kept silent and rode on.  
  
Finally they arrived. After she was admitted into Duke's Citadel, Tris called to Sandry. Only a few moments later, a blur ran down from the building and hugged Tris.   
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"Why aren't we going to Winding Circle?" the dark-skinned girl muttered out loud. Weren't they supposed to go back to Winding Circle when they came back home to Summersea?  
  
Kirel glanced over at Daja Kisubo. "Didn't Frostpine tell you? We're dropping you off at the Duke's Citadel."  
  
"Dropping me off? At the Duke's Citadel?" Daja spurred her horse in surprise and they both cantered down the road. Stopping the horse again, Daja turned to look at her teacher and her teacher's apprentice.  
  
"Yes, we are taking you to the Duke's Citadel. Duke Vedris wrote to me in a letter, insisting that when you come back to Emelan, you live in the citadel with Sandry, Briar, and Tris, who are also going to be living there." Frostpine grinned at his student.  
  
"... I miss everyone." Daja finally said. It was true; she did, however, she enjoy traveling to different places, meeting new people, and learning some of their customs along the way.  
  
"Well, now that we've arrived, perhaps you could tell your friends to come down here and help you? I'm expected back at the temple very soon. I apologize for not being here to help you get settled in, Daja." Frostpine smiled lopsidedly.  
  
"No, it's all right. I'll just ask Sandry to come down and help. You should get going before you're late."  
  
Frostpine and Kirel waved their goodbyes before continuing on to Winding Circle. Daja turned back to the road leading to the citadel. ~Sandry! It's Daja. I'm almost at the Duke's Citadel; do you think you come down and help me?~ Daja called to her saati, or a friend closer than family. ~Daja! Yes, wait a moment. I'll tell the guards you're to be allowed in. I'm coming right down! Briar too!~ Sandry said excitedly.  
  
Daja was admitted into the Citadel, and she unhooked and unstrapped everything off her horse. A blur of red ran out of the building and jumped onto Daja. "You've changed so much!" Sandry squealed, hugging her friend happily. Briar, at a more reasonable pace, stopped in front of the Trader. "Welcome to your home, Trader girl."  
  
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"Yes! Now keep the curtains right there! Don't move them, I have to tie the ropes around the mid- No! The curtains are slipping!" Sandry was watching and helping with the Midwinter ball preparations. They were doing fine, but not going as well as Sandry had hoped.  
  
Duke Vedris watched his great-niece bite her lip to keep from laughing or crying. Or maybe both. "Maybe you should take a rest. You've been doing magic all afternoon," he said in his soft, commanding voice. Sandry glanced at him. "I'm fine. Just a bit frustrated." Sandry smiled and got up. She shooed all the servants away, telling them to eat some lunch first. As soon as the last person was gone, Sandry walked up to one of the huge windows with the just as big curtains. She nodded slightly; the curtains flew open. With a twitch of her wrists, both ropes tied themselves snugly around the curtains. She did the same for each window.  
  
Meanwhile, Briar was getting to know the plants down below. Earlier, he'd helped with the placement of potted plants in the ballroom; now, he was introducing himself to the plants in the gardens. Tris was watching the weather from her new room. It was nice and sunny that day; not a hot kind of sunny, but a mild glow, with a bit of warmth tied in. She watched as little wisps of clouds slowly crawled across the sky with the wind. Daja was helping in the ballroom, checking any metal inside to see if it was holding up. If the metal wasn't, then Daja would strengthen it.  
  
Finally, all the preparations for the Midwinter ball were complete the day before it began. Sandry had fitted Tris, Daja, and Briar with the clothing they were supposed to wear, after insisting to the three of them that they please go, or she would be stuck at the ball by herself with no one sensible to talk to.   
  
After some thought, she also invited Pasco, whose face went ghastly white at her invitation, and Evvy, whose eyes brightened and clearly said 'thank you'. Tris had gotten a green-aqua sort of color with a little gray mixed in, a sort of color that led to her unusual eyes. After a lot of arguing, Daja settled for a darkened orange-red dress that was like a duplicate of Tris' dress except fitted for Daja to wear. Evvy got a duplicate of Tris and Daja's dress, that was a pale ice-blue color, with silver embroidery. Everything was made by Sandry.  
  
For Briar, Sandry found him a clean, stark-white shirt, and sturdy new boots. A green tunic, stitched with silver embroidery and made especially for Briar (more of Sandry's work), a new pair of tan breeches also made by Sandry, and everything was all set (or whatever guys wear to balls or dances; I wouldn't know, I'm a girl!).   
  
When asked what she was wearing to the Midwinter ball, Sandry just blushed and answered mysteriously. "You'll see. It's a surprise!"  
  
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The next evening, Briar was putting on his new clothes as Sandry had instructed. He was the last to leave, because he was tending to a new miniature tree, who kept arguing with him about the placement of a fig. Just as he had finished pulling on his first boot with difficulty, Briar heard a knock at the door and Sandry's soft voice. "Can I come in?" Briar frowned; she sounded ... almost, shy!  
  
"Yeah, go ahead, I'm just trying pull on this -- darned -- boot! Whoa!" Briar toppled over onto his bed as his second boot went on. The door opened, and just as Briar was about to retort something to Sandry about the boots, his voice caught in his throat. She wore white elbow-length gloves, and her hair was let down loose (not in braids!!!). This dress was the same in the painting above his bed, except a different color. It was a beautiful turquoise bluish color. Again, it made her eyes seem paler than they were. Now, those eyes were shy, watching Briar closely for his reaction.  
  
"So... What do you think?" Sandry twirled around to make her point. She kept her eyes trained on Briar's. 'Beautiful...' Briar gulped. "You look... beautiful." He said, awed into oblivion. Sandry blushed a bit more, cheeks red (making this "romantic" scene more so!).   
  
"Come on. We have to go!" Sandry grabbed his arms and pulled him up. Suddenly, their faces were very close. Sandry was afraid to breath as her eyes flicked up into Briar's. What was in them caught her. A small gasp escaped from her lips. Then, carefully, almost timidly, Briar gently eased his lips onto hers. Sandry's eyes fluttered closed, her grip on Briar's arms loosening. He let her go. Sandry stared wide-eyed at Briar. "Come on, Sandry. We have to go." He left the room, pulling a still-shocked Sandry after him.  
  
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ahh! The first "real" romantic scenes! So sweet!  
  
Remember, please review! I thrive off reviews!  
One day, I'm going to make 1000 and more reviews my goal (will never happen) but ohwell!!!  
  
smileypal4eva 


	4. Save the Last Dance

Ah... this goes from the beginning of the Midwinter ball to the a little before the end. Or that's what I plan it. I might just change it. A little mushiness; don't worry, nothing TOO cheesy or mushy. I'm not a cheesy or mushy person. Or I don't think I am. Actually, I'll let you start reading. Enjoy!  
  
REMEMBER TO REVIEW AFTER YOU READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
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"Talking outloud"  
'Thinking'  
~Mind-speaking between the Tris, Daja, Briar, and Sandry~  
*~*~*~*Flashback*~*~*~*  
~~~~~~Scene change~~~~~~  
(Author's Notes)  
  
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Disclaimer: I own nothing except for this pointless plot. All characters used in this fanfic belong to Tamora Pierce. All the places probably belong to her too. Oh, and all the stuff that goes in her books is hers too. Anything else that even remotely relates to the books is Tamora Pierce's. So there. Now you can't sue me.  
  
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Winter Sunshine  
By smileypal4eva  
  
Chapter 4: Save the Last Dance  
  
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the ballroom...  
  
  
  
The herald stepped aside as the large doors leading into the ballroom opened again. "Announcing the arrival of his Grace Duke Vedris IV of this realm of Emelan, and his great-niece Lady Sandrilene fa Toren!" he said, bowing as the two nobles came in. Sandry smiled, emotions completely contained except in her eyes, and curtsied gracefully to all the guests. Duke Vedris gave everyone a deep bow, and the two descended down the stairs.  
  
"My dear, I don't recall you meeting Francis fer Geriav." Duke Vedris nodded to a handsome young man with raven-black hair, dark blue-green eyes, and a muscular build visible through his clothes. He couldn't be over twenty. 'Perhaps eighteen, possibly nineteen,' Sandry mused, her blue eyes flicking quickly over the stranger. "It's a pleasure to meet you, my lady," Francis bowed and kissed Sandry's fingertips. "The please is mine, Francis," Sandry automatically replied, curtsying to the stranger. "If you'll excuse me, I must see to some of my guests," the Duke said, and left the pair.  
  
Sandry gulped. She'd hoped the duke would stay with her, but obviously not. "Would you care for a dance, my lady?" Francis held out a gloved hand. "Of course. And please, call me Sandry. I don't like formalities very much," Sandry confessed in an effort to ease the awkwardness as she placed her hand in his. "Of course, Sandry. Then you must call me Francis. I don't like formalities much either. It requires too much stiffness," Francis sighed, smiling with ease. 'He has a nice smile, though. And friendly too. Maybe this evening won't be too bad after all.'  
  
Francis led her to the center of the ballroom, where several couples had already started dancing. Francis, with an energetic beat to his step, started leading Sandry through the lively waltz. Sandry laughed when Francis swung her. "You're quite the dancer, Francis!" Sandry gasped, holding tightly onto him.   
  
"Well, I ought to be! My parents made me take dancing lessons with a teacher. A teacher!" Francis and Sandry swung about the dance floor, all the while laughing and relaxing. Sandry saw Tris dancing with Pasco, and Briar talking with Daja about something or other. Every now and then, Sandry would shoot a glance around the ballroom to see what Briar was doing.  
  
~So, having fun, duchess?~ Briar asked, amused. Daja joined in on the conversation. ~Yeah, you look like you've relaxed a lot since this afternoon, when you helped us get ready,~ Daja commented. ~Is Pasco a good dancer because he's just good or is it because of his magic?~ Tris asked. Sandry laughed to them in her mind.   
  
~Yes, I'm having fun now, since Francis fer Geriav & I dropped formalities. Being formal is just too... nerve-racking is probably the word. I've never liked formalities. And I don't know. Yazmin says that she isn't sure either, so we'll just have to go with the fact that Pasco likes dancing and he has magic with it.~ Sandry then turned back to her partner, and they danced some more.  
  
When that song ended, musicians struck the tune of a romantic ballad. Francis sensed Sandry's nervousness at dancing with him to a slow song. "Why don't dance one more time anyway, Sandry? Then I'll let you mingle with your other guests," Francis invited. "...Sure." Sandry and Francis just sort of walked tiny steps around in circles for a while, and then Sandry spoke up. "I hope you aren't expecting a romantic relationship, Sir Francis." Sandry said. 'I feel so guilty. I love Briar, not Francis, and here I am, having the time of my life while Briar just stands over there watching. Hopefully Sir Francis didn't get the wrong idea.'  
  
Francis just shook his head. "I've already held my interest in someone else. Although I would like to be friends. You're different from all the other nobles I've met so far, when my father brings me to social functions. You don't sit and flirt, whilst looking like the perfect doll. You laugh, and you have a sense of humor." Francis said, to Sandry's relief. Suddenly, someone tapped Francis' shoulder. He turned around.  
  
"May I have this dance with Lady Sandrilene?" Another noble bowed to Sandry. "Yes, of course, if my lady consents." Francis shot a glance to Sandry, who pasted a fake smile to her lips and nodded. "Of course." As the unbelievable long song stretched to cover a long hour, Sandry was interrupted with her current dancing partner several more times for dances, and she became distressed. ~If I hear someone say 'May I have this dance' one more time I'm going to scream!~ Sandry almost mind-shouted to Briar.  
  
~Now, you wouldn't want to do that. That would ruin your image. How about this; you don't scream, and if you save me your last dance, at midnight, then I'll give you a surprise. You'll be happy then, I promise,~ Briar said, his voice fainting away. ~Now, I have to get back to talking to this mage at the same time, or else I'll befuddle something and look like a silly bleater. ~ Sandry said goodbye, and turned back to her dancing partner. 'They're all so stiff and boring,' Sandry couldn't help thinking. All of the men were so intent with trying to impress her with whatever they were talking about, they didn't think for a moment that Sandry wasn't interested in the least.  
  
'Well, there's only a few more hours until midnight,' Sandry thought uncomfortably. She wanted to yell and say "Leave me alone!", but that would be very unladylike. So, Sandry continued faking her pleasure at dancing with complete strangers.  
  
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Briar watched wistfully from his corner as Sandry whirled around with dancer after dancer. "Lady Sandrilene sure is a pretty one, isn't she?" someone said from behind Briar. He spun around. One of the men Sandry was dancing with earlier - was it Francis fer Geriav? - had come up right behind him, and he hadn't even noticed!  
  
After hesitating a moment, Briar answered. "Yes, she is. Sandry's great." Briar watched as Sandry shot a glance over at him, and winked to her. The smile on her face immediately brightened his spirits. "I'm Francis fer Geriav," the noble said, holding out his hand. "Briar Moss," Briar shook hands with Francis.  
  
"You know, you're lucky to have her," Francis said, just as suddenly as when they had first spoken. Briar raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And how exactly do you figure I 'have her'?" Briar asked. "It's very obvious, my friend! Whenever she thinks I am not looking, she steals a glance at you, and you are both already very close to each other. You are part of that mage quartet, from Winding Circle, correct?" Francis looked at Briar, who was just about the same height as him.  
  
"Well, that's true. But I'm not sure of her feelings yet. What if she's just bored?" Briar countered. He wanted to believe she liked him, and returned his feelings, but just stealing little peeks every now and then did not seem to count as acts of love.  
  
"That, Briar Moss, is something you must figure out. I only met her this evening; you've known her for years and years," Francis said wisely. "Not years and years; only six years!" "Six years to my few hours? That does seem like an awful long time, no?" Francis opened his palm, and a small blue fire appeared. "You have magic!" Briar exclaimed.  
  
"Yes, I am."  
  
"Have you trained at Winding Circle, or at Lightsbridge?" Briar asked, interested.   
  
"Actually, I've only trained my magic a little. You see, I'm the only son of my parents, who are both dead. I rule my lands with the help of His Grace and with the help of those who live with me. I could not leave for years to train my magic. However, a traveling mage one day stayed in my home for an exceptionally big winter, and he taught me the basics and how to control my magic, in exchange for shelter and food. My magic can also make designs, and burn things." To demonstrate it, Francis beckoned to Briar to follow him onto the balcony. The only light after they walked into the crisp night air was two big candles, set in two holders next to the entrance back into the ballroom.  
  
Outside, Francis opened his palm again, where there was a slightly bigger ball of blue fire. He let it float upward, and then he closed his hand and twisted it, opening his palm with a drift of fingers. The blue flame tightened, then expanded in a shower of light, opening like a sunflower. He split the flame in two, and directed them to the candles. The blue fire continued burning happily, making patterns of light in their wake. Francis and Briar stayed outside for awhile, content to just talk about magic, when Briar noticed a change in the fire.  
  
"The flame's turned white!" Briar exclaimed, pointing. It was true, the fire that was burning in the candle had become white. However, there were little sparkles of blue still in the flame. "My magic changes colors every now and then, usually to white. Occasionally to green. When it does change colors, there's always flecks of blue sparkles in the flame, and then after awhile, this starts happening."  
  
"What starts happening?" Briar asked, confused, before he realized something. Blue and white sparkles were falling slowly but merrily around them, mingling with the pure white of the snow. "That's great..." Briar said, stretching out a hand to catch some of the sparkles. After a few moments, there was a small amount of liquid in his palm. He looked questioningly at Francis, who shrugged.  
  
"It must be reacting with the cold of the air, those sparkles. Usually they just disappear." Briar frowned at the liquid. It immediately rose in a fine thread and twined around his finger. "You can do magic with that?" Francis asked incredulously. "No. I'm just testing it right now," Briar said absentmindedly. He thought of a vine plant. The thread twisted and became a small vine, splitting in half and twisting around the two candle holders. Briar heard the bell clang for midnight. "I should go inside now. I promised Sandry a dance at midnight," Briar said, waving goodbye. He turned away.  
  
Francis just kept looking at the vines and at Briar's retreating back. "The boy's got more than good looks and magic about him," Francis commented to his sparkles. As if in answer, they sparkled even more.  
  
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~So, milady, ready for our dance?~ Briar's voice echoed through Sandry's mind. ~Yes, I suppose. And please hurry. This man, all he can talk about are his clothes!~ Sandry shot indignantly back at him. ~I'll take my time, duchess, but I'll hurry. If only for your sake.~  
  
Sandry's partner stopped abruptly. "Yes, and what do you want?" he asked coldly of Sandry's soon-to-be new dancer. "I'd like a dance with Lady Sandrilene fa Toren, one of my closest friends, if you please," Briar said politely, bowing gallantly. Before Sandry's current partner could say anything, she discarded his tight hold. "Of course, Briar! Let's dance, shall we?" And with those seven words, she grabbed a hold of both his wrists and pulled him away.  
  
Just as Sandry was about to say more, the musicians started another romantic song. Sandry froze, her thoughts reeling back to Briar's kiss. "I'm sorry if I mad you uncomfortable earlier. But I'll tell you more about why I did what I did later, so why don't we just dance now? If you like, we can just stay friends." Briar said, wrapping his arms around Sandry's waist.  
  
Without really meaning to, Sandry cringed inside. 'No! I want to be more than friends!' a part of her mind was yelling, over and over again. She pushed those thoughts away and smiled, encircling her arms around his neck. "Alright, friends we'll be. For now, anyway."  
  
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Pasco tapped Evvy on the shoulder. She was just watching everyone around her, eyes wide with amazement at all the furnishings and all the expensive things. She turned around warily. "Would you like to dance? I've been meaning to ask for awhile, but Briar stopped me and we talked about some things."  
  
Evvy's eyes widened further. He was asking her to dance with him?  
  
"Yes, if your look betrays your thoughts, I am asking you to dance with me, but I'm not willing to stand here all night waiting for your answer," he snapped kindly, sounding more like the Pasco she had met only a week ago.  
  
"Of course! Let's go." Evvy said cheerfully as he led her to the dance floor. "Look! Our teachers are dancing together!" Pasco pointed. They could see Briar and Sandry with wide smiles on their faces. They were both laughing, with a giggle from Sandry every now and then.  
  
"They should get together. Briar obviously loves Lady Sandry a lot." Pasco commented as they started to dance, his voice odd. Evvy snuck a glance up at his face. He was staring down at her! Evvy looked back down quickly, and changed the subject. "They should get together, I agree. I mean, Lady Sandry loves Briar a lot too. She's always telling me some stuff about him that I didn't even know about, and I've been traveling with him for two years!" Evvy said.  
  
At the same time, the two looked at each other. Then they looked anywhere else except each other, their faces red.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sandry and Briar watched the entire ordeal. "You know, those two like each other, and they don't even know it," Sandry commented lightly, giggling. "Kids," Briar said, shaking his head.  
  
Briar steeled himself. He wanted to ask her onto the balcony, and talk about things. Specifically, he wanted to spill all his feelings out, and make them known. More directly, anyhow.  
  
After waiting about half and hour for the right moment, he found the perfect chance. The musicians were ending their song (again). "Why don't we go to the balcony? The air is much crisper out there."  
  
When they got outside, Sandry gasped in delight. "Look at the snow! It's sparkling blue and white!" She exclaimed softly. "Yeah. Francis was showing me his magic earlier. This is what it did." Briar told her. Sandry just walked around some more, and then she turned around and smiled at him. "This is a wonderful surprise! Although I don't think you had known it would turn out this way. If Francis hadn't gone over and talked to you - " Sandry closed a fist lightly, and the drapes behind them closed shut, weaving into each other. She opened her fist, springing out her fingers, so that if anyone looked at the closed drapes, their interest would spring elsewhere. If anyone approached, they would turn and walk somewhere else. " - what would your surprise have been?"  
  
Briar gulped. 'Here I go!' "Well, I'm not sure if you'll be happy or not... but I'll tell you anyway. Ever since I left Emelan two years ago, all I could think about was you. At first, I thought I was just homesick. But I didn't think about Tris or Daja or Discipline as much as I though about you, so then I concluded it must have been love. When I came back, and I saw you again, I knew I was right.  
  
"Remember the night I arrived? You had that nightmare, and I came in and stayed with you until you fell asleep? That was what convinced me." Briar took a deep breath. "It's alright if you don't return my feelings. I just wanted to make them known." He mumbled quietly, his gaze turning to the ground.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sandry almost gasped. 'He does love me...' she realized. And then, when she thought about his words, she knew that she loved him too.   
  
"Briar...?" Sandry ventured softly, reaching a hand out to touch him. Briar looked up, catching her sky-blue eyes in his gray-green ones. "Yeah?" Sandry walked closer to him, then hesitated. 'Oh, just be bold for once! After all, you know he feels the same way!' a part of her mind positively screamed at her.  
  
Sandry made up her mind, and reached both arms around his neck. Pulling his head down, Sandry kissed Briar intensely, making sure her feelings for him were crystal clear.  
  
With that all sorted out, Briar quickly hugged Sandry's slim body against his, kissing her back. All of about two years worth of love spilled out in that minute-long kiss between the two. When they parted, both just gazed at each other. Sandry was the first to recover from her shock.  
  
~You're a great kisser,~ she commented, easing her lips onto his again.  
  
~Well. You know I'm great at everything,~ Briar teased.  
  
  
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DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Remember, review!!!!!!!! I love checking reviews! It's so nice when you look at all those wonderful comments about your story, don't you think? So worthwhile. Anyway, thanks for reading!  
Oh, and this is not the last chapter yet!!!!!!!!  
smileypal4eva 


	5. Sunrise

Tris might be a little OOC in this one. I'm not sure she should've smiled and grinned so much. Oh who cares... This is just more Sandry/Briar fluff. No big Pasco/Evvy. There'll only be hints of it. This might possibly be the end!  
  
REMEMBER TO REVIEW AFTER YOU READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
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"Talking outloud"  
'Thinking'  
~Mind-speaking between the Tris, Daja, Briar, and Sandry~  
*~*~*~*Flashback*~*~*~*  
~~~~~~Scene change~~~~~~  
(Author's Notes)  
  
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Disclaimer: I own nothing except for this pointless plot. All characters used in this fanfic belong to Tamora Pierce. All the places probably belong to her too. Oh, and all the stuff that goes in her books is hers too. Anything else that even remotely relates to the books is Tamora Pierce's. So there. Now you can't sue me.  
  
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Winter Sunshine  
By smileypal4eva  
  
Chapter 5: Sunrise  
  
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where I left off at Chapter 4...  
  
  
  
  
~Have you seen Sandry, Tris?~  
  
~Nuh-uh. Come to think of it, I haven't seen her or Briar for a while!~ Tris thought. Both of them mind-spoke for a few moments longer, exchanging thoughts on where those two could possibly be, and finally they just met up next to a healthy fern plant to find their former housemates. Tris frowned.  
  
"Those two both disappeared around an hour ago. I wonder where they are." Daja looked around the ballroom, and noticed a faint pearly shimmer of magic. She tapped Tris and pointed. A curtain was closed, and the shimmering magic went up & down the length of it. "Isn't that --?" Tris began.  
  
"Yeah, that's definitely Sandry's magic," Daja confirmed for her. "Come on!" Tris rushed over, and attempted to open the curtains. It didn't budge. Tris frowned harder & tugged at the curtain more firmly. Nothing happened again. This time she just tried to pry the two flaps apart. There was no effect.  
  
"Here, why don't I try?" Daja peered at the curtains, then held a hand over a section, forcing several of the threads apart. When she had done enough to see through to the other side onto the balcony, she did a section below the first, repeating the process. Waving Tris over, she looked through the tiny hole. Tris peeked through.  
  
~Who is that?~ Tris asked, amusement obvious in her mind-speak voice.  
  
~That one is Sandry. But who's the guy?~ Daja asked, laughter in hers.  
  
~I didn't think Sandry would like any of those noblemen enough to dance willingly with them, let alone kiss them like that,~ Tris said.  
  
~Wait, look! The guy's turning around... why does he look so familiar? Hey! It's... oh...~ Daja faltered, and Tris squinted. At the same time, both girls gasped audibly.  
  
~BRIAR?!~  
  
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Briar had been so intent on Sandry, and her sweet, passionate kisses, he almost jumped off the balcony in surprise when he heard his name.  
  
"What's wrong?" Sandry asked silkily, eyes bright with content. "I though I just heard Tris & Daja yell my name. They sounded awfully surprised. Or shocked," Briar mused. He shuddered when he felt Sandry's light fingertips skim over his neck, and looked down at her.  
  
Sandry smiled mischievously. "Only one way to find out," she whispered, snapping her wrist. The curtains flew open, revealing two friends who were closer than family. At the moment, Tris & Daja were frozen in shock, staring wide-eyed at Sandry, occasionally darting glances over at Briar. Sandry put her hands on her hips. The ropes tied happily around the curtains, reclaiming their prize.  
  
"How long have you two been watching?" She demanded. Daja grinned. "Long enough, saati," she laughed. Sandry and Briar both reddened. Tris immediately picked up after Daja. "So when did this... you know... happen?" Tris teased. "Have you two been in love ever since you saw each other?" Daja said, enjoying the moment as Sandry turned pink and flushed, and Briar just reddened more. "Love at first sight?" Tris asked.  
  
"Stop it, you two!" Sandry pleaded. "It's not funny!"  
  
"Didn't say it was. Seriously though. How long?" Daja raised her brow.  
  
Sandry released a breath she'd been holding. Her eyes glistened joyfully as she recalled a 'moment'. "Probably when all of you left me here all by myself," Sandry said, sounding self-pitying. Tris playfully whacked the noble girl on the arm. Sandry smiled. "And when I started teaching Pasco more. At first he had this silly crush on me; you know, the typical boy-kid crush, with the blushing and stammering, all the politeness and trying to impress me," Sandry continued airily.  
  
"Of course, I didn't want to hurt his feelings, but Pasco grew out of it. And by that time, I had been writing letters to Briar more often. I'd grown to love reading them, and expecting them all the time." Sandry blushed. "The first time I knew I loved him was about a year after he left. After one... never mind." Sandry looked around at the sparkles, eyes glittering.  
  
"And what about you, rock-killer?" Tris asked.  
  
Briar snapped his head up, his forehead scrunched in annoyance. And confusion. "Who told you I was some rock-killer? I don't kill rocks!" Briar said indignantly. All three girls rolled their eyes and laughed, except for Sandry, who giggled. "Evvy." They responded, and started laughing all over again. Briar just scowled and turned away. "I loved her a few months after I left. I missed her, and thought about her so much, I thought I had brain damage."  
  
"Don't all men thinking about beautiful young maidens all the time?" Sandry asked suspiciously. "No. At least, maybe not at fourteen. I certainly hadn't been that way before I left." Briar answered just as sourly. Sandry's smile turned into a small grin. Tris and Briar tried to hide theirs, with no success.  
  
"What are you smiling about?" Sandry demanded yet again. "Whatever it is, it isn't at all funny!"  
  
"I'm not laughing at you, saati," Daja said. "We're glad you two got together. We'd known you would," Tris put in eagerly. Sandry's eyes clouded in confusion. "What? Am I hearing you?" She asked incredulously. "Yes, you are. Whenever you thought you no one was looking, Sandry, you'd be stealing little glances at Briar, and blush. And you, plant-boy! You start laughing, and I'll tell you the number of times I caught you staring at Sandry!" Daja finished.  
  
Briar had his mouth open; he shut it. "Anyway. There was this one time, before we left. Sandry had to go riding with Duke Vedris again. You wore that new dress that the duke had given you; remember? It was, a pale blue-green color? Right, Tris?" Daja asked, shooting a glance at the weather-mage. Tris nodded. She was trying not to smile.  
  
"Yeah. Anyway, you were just leaving, and I saw Briar looking from his window, and staring. His eyes were so wide! He was just staring, and he thought no one was looking! Tris and I both saw him! Come to think of it, Lark may have too!" Daja grinned at her two friends. "We'll let you go back to whatever you were doing now," Tris said quickly before anyone could say anything else. She gave Sandry a teasing smile before she turned around. Daja did the same, and the two left.  
  
For awhile, Briar and Sandry just leaned on the balcony wall, staring across the city, or across the harbor. Finally Sandry laid her head gently on Briar's shoulder. Absentmindedly, he wrapped an arm around her, hugging Sandry closer. Sandry grinned and leaned up quickly and kissed him firmly.  
  
~Stop surprising me! I thought I'd known all there was about you, and now you're giving me too much information!~ Briar said in exasperation, but he melted right into her kiss.  
  
~Oh, I don't mind. When I show you more, you'd be surprised.~ Sandry teased. Briar turned red again.  
  
~Sandry... one of these days...~  
  
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Pasco was, amazingly, still dancing with Evvy. Both had a pink tint to their faces; from embarrassment or excitement, only Pasco & Evvy knew. "H-how was Yanjing?" Pasco asked, stammering nervously. "Oh, it was wonderful! I saw so many dancers, and all those ladies had beautiful dresses, and there was also the..." Evvy started rattling off a whole bunch of things, and finally she stopped trying to remember to act stiff and formal, and both of them relaxed.  
  
Tris and Daja were watching from their position next to the fern plant. "Look at those two," Daja nodded. Tris maneuvered her gaze so it settled on Pasco and Evvy, who were dancing to the energetic beat of the song. "They like each other, and they don't even know it." Tris commented. Sandry settled into place next to Tris. "I was watching them, earlier. We should get them together." Briar, who was standing next to Sandry, nodded. "Tomorrow, we'll start trying to get them together."  
  
The four just stood there for a time, watching Pasco and Evvy, and then watching everyone else. Finally, Sandry spoke up.  
  
"I'd forgotten what it was like, being fourteen. It was only two years ago, but that was when Pasco became my student."  
  
"Evvy became my student too."  
  
"And my half-students studied the basics and meditation with me." Daja supplied.  
  
"Mine also." Tris said softly.  
  
"Can you imagine, that just six years ago, we came to Emelan? To Winding Circle? And we all met each other for the first time?" Sandry asked wistfully.  
  
Briar nodded absentmindedly. "Our birthday," he said.  
  
Tris nodded, almost sadly. "It's been a long time."  
  
"I miss being young sometimes." Sandry whispered, so soft that only the four of them could hear.  
  
"Don't we all?" Briar enveloped Sandry's small hand in one of his. She smiled gratefully.  
  
"One day, we might be living at the opposite ends of the world. We might not even be able to see each other for years." Daja said.  
  
~We'll always be together. No matter what.~ Tris said firmly.  
  
~Yeah.~ Daja agreed.  
  
~Friends?~ Briar asked all of them.  
  
~Forever...~ Sandry smiled in her mind. All the other saw it, and smiled.  
  
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in Sandry's room...  
  
  
Tris and Daja had gone to bed. Together, Briar and Sandry had told Duke Vedris about... the two of them. Amazingly, Duke Vedris just smiled at his great-niece. He also said, "I knew if I gave you two a push, you'd find each other in no time." Sandry's mouth dropped open in shock, and then she closed it and hugged her great-uncle tightly. "Thank you," she whispered to him. Duke Vedris patted her on the back and sent her off to bed.  
  
"Now we're back here." Sandry spun, and her dress fanned out. Her long golden-brown hair also fanned out, because Sandry had let it down as soon as she had gotten into her room. Briar caught her in his arms, taking in the sweet scent of Sandry's hair. "I never knew you to like all that romantic stuff," Sandry commented as he held her hand. Briar smiled. "Well, I like it with you," he said earnestly. Sandry blushed and looked straight into his eyes.  
  
"I love you," she whispered softly after a time.  
  
"Love you too," Briar said, lowering his lips onto hers.  
  
Sandry was glad she had Briar's arms wrapped around her. She almost wobbled and fell when Briar had kissed her. Again. 'He just has that effect on me,' she thought giddily, opening her mouth for him. Sandry felt him smile, and he explored her mouth, while still keeping her helpless with a prolonged French kiss.  
  
When he lifted his face from hers, Sandry's eyes fluttered open. "Oh..." she breathed, her chest heaving with each gasp of needed air. Briar grinned lopsidedly. "Told you I was good," he laughed. Then Sandry smiled mischievously and Briar's grin disappeared. Sandry stood up, and Briar wavered. "Still haven't shown you what I can do," she said seductively. She walked right up to Briar and wrapped her arms around his neck, keeping him close. She gazed into his eyes for a long moment, then looked down.  
  
Briar made the mistake of following her gaze. From his position, right next to Sandry, he had the perfect view of her chest! "S-S-Sandry!" Briar almost shouted, trying to back away, at the same time trying to tear his view away from her chest. "Not yet..." she whispered sexily into his ear. She kissed him, hard, sending waves of heat over his body.  
  
When Briar had regained control over himself, he ran his hand up and down the small of her back. ~I'm not letting you get the better of me!~ He told her roughly. His hands traveled over her slim body, just brushing the bare skin of her shoulders, making her shiver in delight. Finally he stopped his pleasing torture at Sandry's plea. ~Stop! Stop! You're driving me crazy!~ she yelled frantically into his mind.  
  
"You should go to sleep now," Briar said huskily, tucking her into bed. Sandry tried to protest, but she was tired from the long night. Finally she relented and fell asleep. Briar padded back to his own room.  
  
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next morning...  
  
  
Briar leaned on the balcony of Sandry's room. The curtains were waving behind him. The sun hadn't quite risen yet. 'Glare's there... but not sun yet,' Briar thought.  
  
Sandry appeared beside him again. Just as he began to pull her in for a good morning kiss, the sun shone on them. Sandry gasped. "This is the most beautiful sunrise I've seen this winter! Look at the sunshine! It's golden!" Sandry breathed.  
  
Briar stroked Sandry's cheek bringing her attention back to him.  
  
They kissed.  
  
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FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
okai... I don't have to go crazy... *shakes head*  
anyway, maybe this chapter was mushier than I thought. Especially that last part. Oh well. Every story has its ending, right?  
  
REMEMBER TO REVIEW PLEASE!!!!!!  
  
smileypal4eva 


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